Moussaka a la Kleftiko

Greek Moussaka a la Kleftiko

Greek Moussaka a la Kleftiko

Greek Moussaka a la Kleftiko

SpiceBreeze
Though Moussaka doesn’t origin in Greece, it became the best known of all Greek dishes. Authentic Moussaka is a casserole made with ground lamb and eggplant covered with a thick layer of béchamel sauce. The latter is quite tricky to master. This recipe is a combination with Kleftiko, a lamb dish baked in parchment paper. It’s easy to prepare, fun to eat, and has a rich Moussaka flavor.
 
Hands-on Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

Shopping list

  • 1.5 lb lamb chops or beef sirloin steaks
  • 1/2 inch large eggplant cut lengthwise into thin 1/4 slices
  • 1/2 lb potatoes cut into thin 1/4 slices
  • 2 tbsp red wine
  • 2 tomato/es cut into 1/4 inch slices
  • 1 cup grated cheese of your choice
  • 1 lettuce of your choice

You might have

  • 1 onion sliced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1 orange for juice
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper

Culinary Spice Kit

  • Black pepper thyme, cinnamon, bay leaves

Instructions
 

Prepare

  • In a large BOWL, add eggplant and a pinch of salt. Cover with cold water. Let rest for 15 minutes. Drain.
  • Season lamb with salt to taste.
  • In a BOWL, mix 7 tbsp oil, wine, and about half of the Moussaka Spices.
  • Preheat OVEN to 400°F.

Create 3 packets, each as follows:

  • On an 8-inch PLATE, place (1) ALUMINUM FOIL and (2) BAKING PAPER, each a sheet of about 20 inches long.
  • Staple: eggplant, lamb, tomato, garlic.
  • Place potatoes and onions around.
  • Drizzle with 3 tbsp of the oil mixture.
  • Season with salt and sprinkle with cheese.
  • Close BAKING PAPER, then FOIL
  • Place the packets on a baking rack.

Bake

  • Bake about 60 minutes until cooked.

Salad

  • Mix 3 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp oil, salt & pepper to taste. Toss over lettuce.

Serve

  • Serve salad with packets.
  • Enjoy!

Enter the Culinary World

Be Inspired | Explore your boundaries and creativity

Italian Spaghetti Napolitana

Italian Spaghetti Napolitana

Italian Spaghetti Napolitana

Italian Spaghetti Napolitana

SpiceBreeze
Despite the name of this dish, it didn't originate in Naples. It's a variation of pasta al pomodoro (noodles with tomatoes), a basic Italian meal. This Napolitana spice blend adds the Mediterranean aroma of mixed herbs. Optionally, try a variation with vegetables or meat (Spaghetti Bolognese).
hands-on time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

Protein

  • 1 lb ground meat [1] optional

Fresh Produce

  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 8 oz vegetables [2] finely cut (optional)
  • 1 cup basil or parsley leaves for garnish

Dairy

  • 1/2 cup cheese [3] finely grated (optional)

Packaged Goods/Staples

  • 1 can tomatoes [4] 17-18 oz
  • 1 lb spaghetti or capellini, bucatini, or other noodles of your choice
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper

Napolitana Culinary Spice Kit

  • Onion, garlic, oregano, basil, marjoram, sage, chili, celery

Suggested Sides

  • lettuce or cucumber salad with a mild dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, and salt & pepper

Instructions
 

Sauce

  • In a POT, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat.
  • Add onions and fry them until they are translucent.
  • Careful of splatters, add tomatoes and Napolitana spices.
  • Optionally, add ground meat and stir until it's crumbled.
  • Optionally, add finely cut vegetables. Mix well.
  • Cover and bring to a boil.
  • Turn heat to medium-low.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Cover and cook for 30-90 minutes.

Noodles

  • Cook the noodles according to package instructions.

Serve

  • Pour Napolitana sauce over the noodles.
  • Optionally, sprinkle with cheese, and garnish with basil or parsley leaves.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

[1] beef, pork, lamb, poultry, or a mix of it
[2] recommended: carrots, turnip, or parsnip; eggplant
[3] recommended: parmesan
[4] The ingredients in the can should be only tomatoes and no seasoning.

Enter the Culinary World

Be Inspired | Explore your boundaries and creativity

Bengali Shukto

Bengali Shukto

Bengali Shukto

Bengali Shukto

SpiceBreeze
Shukto is a must on any festive Bengali dinner menu. It has a slight bitterness balanced with the sweetness of sugar. If you are not up for this, try a Panch Phoron recipe from our website. Panch Phoron is a Bengali five-spice blend. It's always used whole. The seeds are fried in oil until they pop and release their aromatic flavor.
hands-on time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Bengali
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
  

Protein - Optional

  • 1 lb chicken thighs or breast cut into 1-inch pieces

Fresh Produce

  • 1 large potato
  • 1 large turnip see notes
  • 1 medium zucchini or squash
  • 1 small eggplant
  • 1 cup green beans

Staples Group 3: Breading, Onion & Co

  • 1 inch ginger peeled and grated

Suggested Sides

  • cooked rice recommended: Basmati
  • flat bread naan or chapati

Culinary Spice Kit

  • 1 pouch Shukto [1] seeds Panch Phoron: Cumin, fennel, fenugreek, brown and yellow mustard, nigella seeds
  • 1 pouch Shukto [2] spice blend Yellow and brown mustard, ajowan, bay leaves

Instructions
 

Rice

  • If using rice, cook rice according to package instructions.

Prepare

  • Cut all vegetables into bite-size pieces.

Fry

  • In a large PAN, heat 6 tbsp oil.
  • Add Shukto [1] spices and ginger. Stir-fry 30 seconds until seeds start to pop.
  • Optional: Add chicken and salt to taste. Fry until all sides turn slightly brown.
  • Add potato, turnip, and salt to taste. Fry until they turn slightly brown.
  • Add all remaining vegetables and salt to taste. Fry until they turn slightly brown.

Cook

  • In a small CUP, dissolve Shukto [2] spices in 2 tbsp of water.
  • Add this spice paste and 1 cup of milk to the PAN. Cover. Bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium-low.
  • Cook for 5-10 minutes until vegetables and optional chicken are cooked.
  • Add 1-3 tsp sugar to taste.
  • Serve with rice or bread. Enjoy!

Notes

Variation:

Substitute turnip with daikon or 1 bunch radish.
Substitute one of the vegetables with 1 plantain or 1 sweet potato.
 

Enter the Culinary World

Be Inspired | Explore your boundaries and creativity

Italian Saltimbocca

Italian Saltimbocca

Saltimbocca alla Romana

Italian Saltimbocca

SpiceBreeze
Preparing this dish is a breeze, and its irresistible flavor practically leaps into your mouth—hence the name "saltimbocca."
A traditional Italian dinner consists of at least two courses: pasta, soup, or risotto as a first course, followed by a second course of meat or fish accompanied by vegetables or salad. Saltimbocca, a classic choice for the second course, pairs perfectly with a simple pasta dish.
This recipe offers a delicious chicken variation made with ground sage. For a more authentic experience, try Saltimbocca alla Romana, featuring fresh sage leaves and thin slices of tender veal.
Hands-on Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

First Course

  • 2 cloves garlic smashed
  • 4 anchovy filets
  • 1 cup black olives sliced
  • 3/4 lb spaghetti or other pasta

Second Course

  • 1.5 lb chicken breast boneless, skinless, cut into 6-8 thin large slices
  • 8 slices prosciutto (raw ham), very thin
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine or cooking wine
  • olive oil

Saltimbocca Culinary Spice Kit - in our shop here

  • [1] Sage
  • [2] Sun-dried tomatoes

Suggested Sides

  • fresh Italian bread sliced
  • asparagus, cauliflower, or broccoli cooked
  • spinach or mushrooms sautéed with garlic

Instructions
 

First Course

  • In a large PAN, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat.
  • Cook garlic for 1 minute.
  • Add anchovies. Cook 2 minutes.
  • Add olives. Cook until olives turn slightly brown.
  • Add cooked spaghetti and 1 cup of the cooking water to the PAN. Cook for 1 minute.
  • Sprinkle Saltimbocca [2] spices on plated dish.

Second course - Prepare

  • Cover the chicken slices with PLASTIC WRAP and pound them to about 1/8 inch thickness.
  • Season them with the Saltimbocca [1] spices in an even layer. Don’t add salt!
  • Place prosciutto slices on top.

Second course - Cook

  • In a PAN, over medium heat, melt the butter.
  • Place the chicken bundles in the PAN in one layer, prosciutto side up.
  • Season with pepper to taste.
  • Fry chicken for a couple of minutes until the bottom starts to brown.
  • Add wine. Reduce heat to low. Cover.
  • Let cook for a few minutes until the chicken is done.

Serve

  • Serve Saltimbocca with your preferred sides.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Variations
â–ª Substitute chicken with veal or pork cutlets.
â–ª Substitute chicken with eggplant or zucchini.
▪ Substitute prosciutto with Spanish jamón serrano, bacon, or cheese.
â–ª Substitute wine with broth.

Enter the Culinary World

Be Inspired | Explore your boundaries and creativity

Caribbean Cucumber Chutney

 

Caribbean Cucumber Chutney

SpiceBreeze
Cuisine Caribbean
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 1 English cucumber with skin (or 3-4 Persian cucumber)
  • 1 tbsp green seasoning (see notes for the recipe)

Instructions
 

  • Coarsely grate the cucumber.
  • Add some salt to the cucumber and let it sit in a strainer over a bowl.
  • After 15 minutes, squeeze the cucumber to get the most liquid out of it. Keep the liquid for later (see tip below).

Mix in to taste

  • 0.5-1 tbsp of the green seasoning.
  • Double Spices [2], and salt & pepper.
  • Let rest for 15 minutes.

Notes

Green seasoning recipe

Tip

Drink the cucumber water pure or mixed in a fruit smoothie.
Indian Rice Korma

Indian Rice Korma

Indian Rice Korma

Indian Rice Korma

SpiceBreeze
Korma is a staple on Indian family dinner tables. The spice blend around coriander and cumin is rather simple compared to complex Indian curries. It develops a magically addicting flavor in its combination with toasted cardamom pods and golden turmeric.
hands-on time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

Protein

  • 1 can garbanzo beans

Fresh Produce

  • 2 carrots diced
  • 1 cup peas frozen
  • 2 onions chopped
  • 1 inch ginger chopped

Dairy

  • 2 tbsp butter or ghee

Packaged Goods/Staples

  • 2 cups Basmati rice
  • salt

Korma Culinary Spice Kit

  • [1] Cardamom pods
  • [2] Coriander, cumin, turmeric

Instructions
 

  • In a PAN (with LID), heat the butter.
  • Add Korma [1] spices and stir-fry for 1 minute.
  • Add onions and stir-fry until they turn golden. Be careful not to burn the butter.
  • Add ginger, garbanzo beans, and carrots. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
  • Add rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes.
  • Add Korma [2] spices, 3 cups of water, peas, and salt and fresh chilies to taste. Mix well.
  • Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and let cook for 15 minutes.
  • Please don’t lift the LID before the rice is ready to serve!
  • Turn off heat. Keep the PAN still covered and let rest for 10 minutes.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • Substitute garbanzo beans with 0.5 lb chicken breast, cut in 0.5 inch cubes.
 

Enter the Culinary World

Be Inspired | Explore your boundaries and creativity